Improvement in apparatus for regulating the discharge of liquids from filters



R. BERRYMAN. Improvement in Apparatus f'or'Reguiating the Discharge ofLiquids from Filters.

No. 130,008; Patentedluiy 36,1872.

FFICE.

ROBERT BERBYMAN, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE DISCHARGE 0F II IQUIDS FROMFILTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 130,008, dated July 30,1872.

Specification describing certain Improvements in Apparatus forRegulating the Discharge of Liquids from Filters, invented by ROBERTBERRYMAN, of Hartford, county of Hartford, State of Connecticut.

My invention relates to an apparatus, fully described hereafter, adaptedto be used in movement of the vessel.

In the drawing, the figure illustrates one form of apparatus, which maybe used in connection with sugar-filters.

A is a suspended beam or lever, at the opposite ends of which are linksa a, the former being connected to a closed vessel, B, and the latter'supporting a disk for receiving detachable counter-weights.b.- Aninlet-pipe, 0, at the bottom of r the vessel communicates, through aflexible pipe, d, with the dischargepipe of a sugar-filter, and a pipe,0, at the top of the vessel, communicates, through a flexible pipe, f,with a pipe, g, in which there is a cook or valve provided with a handleor arm, h. The arm h is connected, by a rod, 1', to

. the outer end of a suspended lever, O, the other end of which isconnected, by a link, 8,,

to the lever A. All the bearings of the links and levers are knife-edgebearings, and the fulcrums of the levers are so arranged that a veryslight'vertical movement of the vessel B will impart to the arm hsufficient motion to open or close the cock in the discharge-Sugar-filters are washed by passing water into the top of the filter, soas to force out,

through a pipe at the bottom, the heavier liquor into'a suitable vat orvessel, the flow of the water into the vessel being continued until thesaccharine matter in the filtering material has been removed. When it isfound that the discharge-water contains so little sugar in solution thatit is not profitable to rework it, the discharge-cock is closed and thewaste-cock opened, so that the water can continue to flow until thefilter is thoroughly cleansed.

Frequent and very careful tests are required to ascertain the amount ofsugar in the discharge-water, and considerable loss often ensues fromcarelessness of the attendants in opening the discharge-cocks too soonin order to expedite the cleansing operation.

The above-described apparatus, which is intended to obviate thesedifficulties, is used as follows: The vessel B is filled with purewater, or with a solution of sugar and water, less in strength than thatwhich it, is desirable to retain for reworking, and such acounterbalance-weight is placed at the opposite end of. the beam as tobring the latter into a position to close the cook in the dischargepipe9. When solutions of any greater strength than that first placed in thevessel B are passed into the same, the vessel, owing to the greaterweight of its contents, will descend and open the discharge-cock,permitting the liquor to flow through the vessel and into the vat. Whenthe liquor which passes through the vessel is of a strength equal to orless than that used in first adjusting the vessel, the

latter, owing to the decreasedweight of its contents, will arise andassume its first position, and the discharge-cock will be closed. Theattendant may then open the waste-cock and complete the washing of thefilter without any loss of material.

The apparatus, slightly modified to suit the peculiar circumstances ofeach case, may be applied to evaporating pans, retorts, stills, andother apparatus where it is desirable that the passage of a solutionfrom one vessel to another shall be arrested on the liquor attaining adetermined density.

The vessel B may be suspended from a rest on springs, or may be counterbalanced in any suitable manner; and other devices than those describedmay be employed for transmitting the motion of the vessel to thedischarge-cock valve or its equivalent.

What I claim as my invention is- A vessel, through which the liquid froma filter or other vessel or receptacle may be passed to adischarge-pipe, suspended or otherwise supported so as to rise and fallas the weight of the contents is diminished or increased, and connectedto a valve or its equivalent, which, on the movement of the vessel, isoperated to regulate the flow of the liquid, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT BERRYMAN.

Witnesses:

ALBERT H. NORRIS, J. L. ROBERTS.

